Police responded to a report of an intruder in a car in the Southern New Hampshire Medical Center parking lot.

A man’s car was running and a stranger was inside when he came out of the building. The owner of the car held the intruder at gunpoint until police arrived.

“He came out, saw someone in his car trying to steal it and he went ahead and detained him until we arrived,” said Lt. Frank Bourgeoius of the Nashua Police Department. “He didn’t do anything wrong. He was defending his property and he was in fear.”

James Paul was arrested and charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

Police said the owner of the car, who was not identified, had his gun legally.

“Fortunately, this one did turn out OK, but in the future I wouldn’t advocated for people to use a firearm to protect their property when it is a motor vehicle,” Bourgeoius said. “My personal opinion: Notify police and let us take it from there.”

AND YOU CAN WAKE UP TO THE FORECAST EVERY DAY WITH OUR ALARM CLOCK APP. A MAN IS FACING CHARGES AFTER AN INCIDENT THAT PROMPTED NASHUA POLICE TO SHUT DOWN MAIN STREET. POLICE RESPONDED TO THE PARKING LOT OF SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE MEDICAL CENTER AFTER A MAN FOUND AN INTRUDER IN HIS CAR. OUR HEATHER HAMEL EXPLAINS HOW HE KEPT TIN TRUEDER THERE UNTIL OFFICERS ARRIVED. FIRST OF ALL POLICE SAY THE MAN'S CAR WAS ALREADY RUNNING WHEN HE CAME OUTSIDE, THEY'RE NOT SURE WHY, THEY SAY IT COULD HAVE BEEN AN AUTOMATIC STARTER, BUT REGARDLESS THERE WAS A STRANGER ALREADY INSIDE HIS CAR, AND THE VICTIM DID WHATEVER HE COULD TO PROTECT HIS PROPERTY. CAME OUT, SAW SOMEBODY IN HIS CAR, WAS ATTEMPTING TO STEAL AND IT HE WENT AHEAD AND DETAINED HIM UNTIL WE ARRIVED. POLICE SAY THAT SOMEONE WAS JAMES PAUL, AND THEY SAY WHEN THEY SHOWED UP THE CAR OWNER WAS HOLDING HIM AT GUNPOINT. THIS ALL UNFOLDED IN A PARKING LOT AT SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE MEDICAL CENTER. IT ONLY TOOK A COUPLE MINUTES FOR OVERSES TO GET THERE BEFORE THE VICTIM, WHOSE NAME IS NOT BEING RELEASED, POLICE SAY IT PROBABLY FEET LIKE LONGER. HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG, HE WAS DEFENDING HIS PROPERTY. JAMES PAUL WAS ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH UNAUTHORIZED USE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE. POLICE SAY THE VICTIM HAD HIS GUN LEGALLY AND UNDERSTANDABLY FELT THREATENED. BUT AS FOR WHETHER HE DID THE RIGHT THING? FORTUNATELY THIS ONE DID PLAY OUT OKAY, BUT IN THE FUTURE I WOULDN'T ADVOCATE FOR INDIVIDUALS TO USE A FIREARM TO PROTECT THEIR MOTOR VEHICLE, MY PERSONAL OPINION IS THAT'S PROBABLY BEST TO NOTIFY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND LET US TAKE IT FROM THERE. JAMES PAUL IS BEHIND BARS TONIGHT, UNABLE TO MAKE BAIL. POLICE